We don’t pretend that cutting down trees doesn’t have a negative impact on the environment. Trees don’t just turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, they’re habitats and sources of food for many forms of wildlife.
That said, there are many ways that timber can be farmed and harvested sustainably. At Celtic Timber, we’re proud of the fact that all our timber is from sustainable sources. But that’s not all we do, have a look at all the ways we do our best to offset our timber’s impact on the environment.
What Makes Our Wood Sustainable?
All of our sustainable timber is sourced from FSC or PEFC certified forest companies. The FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council, endorsed by the WWF, the Woodland Trust and even Greenpeace. A forestry business with this certification means:
- Any tree harvested is replaced or allowed to regrow
- Trees in old-growth forests (full of wildlife and biodiversity) are not allowed to be cut down
- Parts of a forest must be left permanently untouched to protect local wildlife and local ecosystems
- Trees and areas sacred to indigenous cultures are not touched
- The management of the forest and logging activities must protect water quality and restrict usage of chemicals
As for the PEFC, this is the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification. It holds roughly the same values as the FSC and includes the ethical aspects of processing timber. Both certifications are recognised by the UK government to meet the requirements for responsibly sourced sustainable timber.
Reducing Timber Waste
What is better than using sustainable timber? Reducing demand on the need for timber. At Celtic Timber, we operate on a “waste not want not” principle in several ways.
We source used wooden barrels from distilleries and other companies and repurpose them into our popular line of barrel planters and baths. These used wooden barrels would have otherwise been disposed of because they were no longer needed, and we put a lot of work to breathe life back into them.
Rather than throwing out wood too small or damaged for use as barrels or furniture, we turn them into simpler crafts, from candleholders to fruit bowls. Sawdust from our workshop is passed on to businesses with a need for it, like farmers who need it for animal bedding.
Lastly, anything we absolutely can’t use is either turned into clean-burning seasoned firewood, or is chipped and put into our biomass boilers, reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources.
Tree Planting & Rewilding
We don’t leave replanting to the forestry companies, we plant saplings for Western Red Cedar, Norwegian Spruce, Douglas Fir and Mixed Broadleaves on our own land. To date, we’ve planted over 12,000 trees on our own land. One day, these could be a source of sustainable timber for our business.
It’s all well and good to plant trees, but if not done right, the environment is still worse for it. Tree planting is great at sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but lacks biodiversity for wildlife to thrive.
That’s why we’ve also partnered with Trees for Life, a rewilding project that plants trees with the intent of restoring biodiversity with a range of trees and plants that are technically more useful to wildlife than us. We provide them with annual donations of £3,000 alongside portions of our sales profits. You’re welcome to donate too, and any funds go towards rewilding the Caledonian Forest in the Scottish Highlands.
Plastic-Free Packaging
We’ve minimised our reliance on non-renewable and non-recyclable materials by taking all the plastic out of our packaging. Instead of foam, we use protective cardboard sleeves to deliver our products to you.
This has had a surprisingly positive impact, as it’s reduced the number of items damaged in transit that we’ve had to collect and replace. We’re not regretting this decision in the slightest!
Buy Sustainable Timber From Celtic Timber
We hope this has informed you about everything we do to reduce the impact our business has on the environment as a whole. From sourcing environmentally friendly wood to used wooden barrels, to reducing our waste and contributing to planting and rewilding projects – we do as much as we can to preserve the planet.
And you can contribute too! Every time you buy wood from us (even the seasoned firewood), rest assured that part of the profits go to our chosen tree planting & rewilding projects.